ONS announce highest weekly deaths figure in 20 years

The latest figures on all deaths in England and Wales issued by the Office of National Statistics today (21 April) – on provisional deaths registered in the week ending 10 April 2020 (Week 15) – show the highest weekly total in the last 20 years, with a third of deaths related to Covid-19.

In London more than half the deaths (52.3%) registered in Week 15 involved Covid-19 and in the West Midlands these accounted for 37% of deaths.

Since the first Covid-19 deaths were registered in Week 11, the number of deaths in care homes has doubled, deaths in hospital have increased by 72% and in private homes by more than 50%.

The provisional number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 10 April 2020 (Week 15) was 18,516; this represents an increase of 2,129 deaths registered compared with the previous week (Week 14), is 7,996 deaths more than the five-year average and is the highest weekly total since Week 1 in 2000.

Of the deaths registered in Week 15, 6,213 mentioned “novel coronavirus (COVID-19)”, which is 33.6% of all deaths; this compares with 3,475 (21.2% of all deaths) in Week 14.

Total deaths registered by place of occurrence between Week 11 (when first COVID-19 deaths were registered) and Week 15, the number of deaths in care homes has doubled by 2,456 deaths (99.4% increase); whilst we have seen a 72.4% increase (3,603 deaths) in hospitals, and 51.1% increase in private homes (1,392 deaths).

Of deaths involving COVID-19 registered up to Week 15, 83.9% (8,673 deaths) occurred in hospital with the remainder occurring in care homes, private homes and hospices.

Week 15 included the Good Friday bank holiday; the five-year average does show a decrease in registrations over the Easter holiday; however, the Coronavirus Act 2020 allowed registry offices to remain open over Easter, which may have reduced any drop in registrations for Week 15 2020.